Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1917. THE ENTENTE’S CUBAN ALLY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1710, 10 May 1917, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1917. THE ENTENTE’S CUBAN ALLY.

THE Island of Cuba, which has followed America’s load by declaring war against donnany, is a completely independent republic, with a population of 2,500,000, mostly of Spanish descent. Cuba was a. Spanish possession up to (lie time of the Spanisb-American war, then, under the treaty, America insisted that Cuba should have independence. The fact that the United Stales went to war with Spain largely because it objected to the way Spain was governing the island, has created a bond of the strongest sympathy between the two communities. The United State's administered (he island’s affairs for a couple of years after (he island won freedom; but, after much discussion, Congress authorised the President to make over the government, of the island to the Cuban people as soon as Cuba should undertake to make no treaty with any foreign Power endangering its independence, to contract no debts for which the current revenue would not suffice, to concede to the United Stales Government a right of intervention, and also to grant it the use of naval stations. On dune 12th, 1901, these conditions were accepted by Cuba, and on May 20th, 1902, the control of the island was formally transferred to the new Cuban Government, which had been devised and elected on the United States model. The United States has coaling stations in the Bay of Guantanamo and Bahja Honda, for which it pays £4OO annually. The connection between Cuba and the United States became still closer by reciprocal commercial convention which came into operation on December 27th, 1903. There is a regular army of about 12,00 men. About half a dozen German merchantmen have been sheltering in Cuban ports.